Panorama de la Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Vie
A kilometre south of the old village, the 17th-century Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Vie sits on a cypress-lined knoll that Picasso loved so much he spent the last years of his life in the neighbouring mas — and the 360-degree view across pine forests to the Esterel massif and the Bay of Cannes explains exactly why.
The View and the Setting
The chapel's forecourt is flanked by a double row of ancient cypress trees that funnel your gaze south towards the glittering Mediterranean. On a clear winter morning, you can pick out the Lérins Islands off Cannes and, further right, the rust-red Esterel mountains tumbling into the sea — a composition that has appeared in countless Provençal paintings.
The chapel itself, dating from 1646, is typically locked but the exterior is atmospheric enough: a simple Romanesque facade, a small bell-cote and a carved stone portal. The real draw is the terrace, which catches the prevailing south-westerly breeze even in the height of summer.
Picasso's Last Neighbourhood
Picasso rented and later owned the Mas Notre-Dame-de-Vie, the large farmhouse directly adjacent to the chapel, from 1961 until his death in 1973. The property is private and not open to visitors, but standing at the chapel terrace and knowing that the 20th century's most influential artist chose this precise hillside as his final creative retreat adds a genuine frisson to the panorama.
The lane leading up to the chapel from the D35 road is lined with old stone walls and umbrella pines and is lovely to walk in the early morning. The round trip from the old village on foot takes about 40 minutes along quiet residential lanes.
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